Fuel and process of preparing the same



Nov. 4 1924. 1,513,746

D. T. DAY

FUEL AND PROCESS OF PREPARING- THE SAME Original Filed Jan. 15; 1921 g aSTEAM .3 J 10 '2 SOLVENT :,:1 1; 7 I \6 granule z OUT LET 3 No: "Q 8.

Patented Nov. 4 1924.

UNITED STATES DAVID T. DAY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FUEL AND PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SAME.

Original application filed January 15, 1921, Serial No. 437,418. Dividedand this application filed March 2, 1922. Serial No. 540,548.

Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to waxes and to processes ofextracting mineral waxes from earthly materials containin the same. Theinvention also relates particularly to the formation of an artificialfuel formed incident to the process of extracting natural waxes andresins from shale containing, the same in nature.

This application is a division of applicants copending applicationSerial No. 437,- 418, filed Jan. 15, 1921.

The object of the invention is to provide a new fuel compound formed asan incident to the extraction of mineral waxes and resins from nativeshale.

The invention has disclosed the fact that certain oil shales, andparticularly those found near Elko, Nevada, have substantial amounts ofmineral wax and resin, which may be obtained by following the processoutlined hereinafter. This material contains paraffin wax and resinamountmg to from 15 to 25 r cent of the total weight of the untreashale. When such shale is in a fairly dry condition and is reduced intosmall fragments, such as may pass through a ten mesh sieve, andthenboiled in alcohol, it is found that the alcohol has dissolved out aparaiiin-like substance which may be collected and used. This is done bremoving the alcoholic solution with the dissolved material from theshale, decanting or filtering this solution, permitting the solution tocool and thus precipitating the parafiin-like substance, andsubsequently separating the resultant solvent from the precipitate. Thecold alcohol is suitable for use on another batch of material in thesame manner as used for the first batch, and the same alcohol ma bere-used many times. When the precipitate is distilled to drive off anyremaining alcohol, a light waxy substance containing substantial amountsof ozokerite is left behind. This waxy substance has the unusually highmelting point. of at least 150 F., and varies to 165 F.,

If the alcohol is not distilled off, as just mentioned, the coldprecipitate will be found to contain alcohol combined with resin andparaffin in the form of an alcohol solid emulsion suitable for use as afuel, being both conveniently and cleanly handled an possessing greatfuel value.

The. process has been successfull conducted in a relatively simple form0 apparatus which is illustrated in, the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 represents an elevation in section illustrating the relativeposition of the parts, and

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 22 of Figure 2 lookingdownward.

Referrin to the drawing in detail, the apparatus is formed by an uprightcylinder 1 which may have the dimensions ten feet long and fourteeninches in diameter. The top of the cylinder 1 is provided with anoutwardly extending flange 1 adapted to receive a cover plate 2 securedby fastening bolts 3. The lower end of the. cylinder 1 has acorresponding flange 1 adapted to have a lower cover plate 4 placedthereon and secured by fastening bolts 5. In the cover plate 4 aresuitable openings covered by small cover plates 4*. In the interior ofthe apparatus is a second cylindrical member 6 extending the full lengthof the apparatus and spaced from the cylinder 1 so as to provide theannular space 7. This cylinder '6 may be twelve inches in diameter andten feet long and is necessarily perforated with a plurality of openings6, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. At the top of themember 6 is an outwardly extending flange 6 which serves to space the uper end centrally within the cylinder 1. t suitable points along thelength of the apparatus are suitable spacing lugs 6 illustrated assecured to the cylinder 6. These lugs serve to maintain. the annularspace 7 uniform around the cylinder 6. In the center of the apparatus isa small tube of approximately three inclr bore indicated bythe numeral 8and preferabl extending the length of the cylinders 1 and 6 and slightlybeyond one end thereof. This inner tube 8 is also provided with aplurality of perforations 8 and is centrally positioned with respect tothe cylinders 1 and 6 by suitable fastenings at the bottom and at thetop by extending through the center of the cover plate 2. The annularspace between the central tube 8 and the,

cylinder 6 is indicated by 9 and is adapted to be filled with shale. Atthe top of the structure is apipe 10 leading into the tube 5 8 forintroduction of solvent, and a second pipe 11 for the introduction ofsteam. A second steam pipe 4: which is imperforate extends through thetop 2, downwardly through the tube 8, and out through the lower plate4-. Lock means 4 are provided on the pipe 4* to make fluidtightconnections with the cover plates 2 and 4:. At the base of thestructure is a drain pipe 12 insorted through the lower cover plate aand communicating with the annular space 7.

The apparatus may be used to conduct the process of extraction accordingto the following steps of operation. The annular space 9 is poured fullof shale crushed to about one-half. inch and smaller. The cover plate isclosed and the valve in-the drain pipe 12 is closed. Solvent isintroduced through the pipe 10 and fills thetube 8, passing through theopenings 8 and saturating the shale in the spaceg9. Steam is thenintroduced through the pipe 4:, serving to boil the solvent and thusfacilitate the operation of dissolving the soluble material from theshale. If the solvent is gasoline and hence not subject to dilution bcondensed steam, asin the case of alcoho steam may also be admittedthrough the pipe 11 and into the tube 8, passing through theperforations 8 into the shale, thus boilin the solvent therein, andserving also to drive the solvent and extracted material from the shale.The extracted matter and solvent passes through the perforations 6 intothe annular space 7' and may be withdrawn through the pipe 12. After abatch of shale has been treated the lower plate covers t may be openedand the shale re moved from the space 9 and the process repeated. v

The processprovides for the heating of the solvent up to its boilinpoint to facilitate the extraction of solub e material from the shale.After extraction the material drawn from the pi e 12 is cooled toprecipitate a material which is chiefly resin and paraflin and whichwill contain a small proportion of solvent, which latter may bedistilled d and recovered. The major portion of the solvent is freedduring the cooling and precipitation. v

Ninety-five per cent alcohol has been used with success and re-used asmany as twelve times on successive batches of shale. When alcohol isused the extracted matter is a resin mixed with paraliin wax, if Nevadashale is used. 1

Other solvents than alcohol may be used. If gasoline or kerosene is usedthe shale gives up all soluble matter and the general product is oil.When kerosene or gasoline images is used as the solvent the parafin waxwill separate out under proper conditions of freezing. That is, para waxand resin are both very insoluble in sene, cooled below the fieezmgpoint of water. When gasoline-is used as a solvent it is usually usedunder pressure to prevent bringing it to the boiling oint and yet haveit about as hot as the bolllng point of water.

The separation of the resin and-the wax maybe accomplished by dissolvinga mixture of the two substances in hot gasoline and permitting thegasoline and dlssolved material to' cool slowly, the result being thatthe resinwill crystallize out of the mixture, leaving the wax insolution in the gasoline. Such treatment indicates that the resin has amelting point varying from 165 Fto 170 F.

lit is preferable that the materials talren from the pipe 12 he filteredwhile hot. The process includes the feature of heating by steam, orother vapor, which is economical and serves to raise the temperature ofthe solvent to the boiling point, and the subsequent coolingof thematerial taken from the pipe 12 serves to drop a large proportion of thematerial extracted. The apparatus may be provided with necessary gasketsin order to maintain a tight structure so that the pressure may beraised in order that the boiling point of the solvent may be raised.Increased pressure is not obsolutely necessaply but has efiectedeconomy.

claim:

1. The fuel product resulting from the treatment with hot alcohol of amineral containing parafin wax and resin.

2. The fuel. product resulting from the treatment of a natural earthymaterial conasoline or herotainin par wax and resin with a solvent inwhich the earthy material is not soluble but which solvent is capable ofextracting the para wax and resin.

3. The solid emulsion fuel product resulting from the treatment of anatural earthy material containing paraffin wax and resin with a solventin which the earthy material is not soluble but which solvent is capableof extracting the parallin wax and resin, the product being free fromliquid solvent.

4. The solid emulsion fuel product result ing from the treatment withhot alcohol of a natural earthy material "containing paraflin wax andresin. 7

5. The fuel product resulting from the treatment of a natural earthmaterial containing parafin wax and resin with alcohol and from whichfree alcohol has been removed.

6. The process of preparing a fuel which comprises treating a naturalearthy materiel containin parafin and resin with alcohol and disso vingout the para and resin, thereby removing the major portion of the lit]alcohol from the solution so produced, thus leaving the resultantmaterial as an emulsion of alcohol, parafin and resin.

7 The process of preparing a fuel which comprises treating anaturalearthy material containing paraflin and resin with alcohol anddissolving out the parafiin and resin thereby, removing the majorportion of the alcohol from the solution of alcohol, para-fin and resin.

comprises treating a material containing paraflin and resin with alcoholto dissolve out the paraflin and resin, raising the temperature of thealcohol solvent at least to its boiling point, removing the majorportion of the alcohol from the solution so produced, thus leaving theresultant material as an emulsion of alcohol, paraflin and resin.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DAVID T. DAY.

